


Dying to Know

by bioticsandheadshots



Series: Fictober: 2018 [7]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Crack, Gen, Unspecified Gender Shepard (Mass Effect), with a wee bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-27 23:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16229729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioticsandheadshots/pseuds/bioticsandheadshots
Summary: Mere hours before the Suicide Mission, Tali realizes she has one final piece of unfinished business.





	Dying to Know

**Author's Note:**

> For the Fictober prompt "No worries, we still have time."
> 
> Dedicated to my wonderful [canardroublard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/canardroublard/pseuds/canardroublard) who inspired this fic with an actual 'omg I'm gonna miss the premiere' crisis that fit too perfectly with today's prompt.

“No, no, this  _can_ _’t_ be happening!”

Tali groans and hunches forward over her console in Engineering, voice dropping to a low angry buzz as she punches in her keystrokes a little more forcefully than necessary.

“Is there something you need to discuss with the Commander, Tali?” EDI’s hologram pops up as her voice fills the room. “I do not believe Shepard would want to go forward with this plan if there is something still affecting your personal morale.”

Having declared them ‘as ready as they’d ever be’ Shepard has confirmed their route to the Omega 4 relay and EDI’s calculations give them only a few hours before they’ll make the jump to the galactic core.

Tali gives a dismissive wave of her hand. “My morale is fine, EDI.”

“You sound distressed though your vitals still read as normal.”

“I really wish you wouldn’t do that,” Tali mutters. “It’s rude.”

EDI ignores the last comment. “Ship scans show that Commander Shepard is alone upstairs. Would you like me to announce a visit?”

“I  _said_  it was fine!”

“I only want to help.” If an artificial intelligence could pout, Tali would swear that’s what EDI is doing now. “It could be catastrophic if you are emotionally compromised when we arrive at the Collector Base. The ripple effect of your loss could endanger the entire crew as many of them view you as a friend…as do I.”

Tali’s heart swells a little, knowing the AI thinks of her as a friend. But then her brain catches up with the rest of EDI’s words and a laugh pushes its way from her throat. The thought of clutching her hand to her chest, cradled in Shepard’s arms, choking out her final words. “I…missed…the finale,” she’d say. Now that she’s started though, she can’t stop, becoming almost hysterical as the fear she’s been repressing mixes with her laughter until the edges are stained with bitten back sobs.

A hand reaches out to her, not EDI obviously, and pulls her into a warm embrace until her sobs dissipate. When she finally manages to catch her breath, she looks up.

“It’ll be okay.” Shepard smiles down with soft reassurance.

“I don’t know what came over me.” Her voice is quiet and she’s embarrassed that someone had to summon Shepard to calm her down. “It’s so dumb. It’s just…the season finale for the Fleet and Flotilla spin-off airs today,  _after_  we’ll go through relay.”

“No worries, we still have time. I happen to know someone who owed me a favor at Future Content Corporation and that someone might have sent me the episode in advance.”

Shepard’s omni’tool pops into focus and, with a few quick swipes of the keys, the file is forwarded to Tali. She stares down at her wrist in awe as the music for the opening credits begins to roll. Pausing it, she tackles Shepard to the cold of the metal floor in a tight hug.

“Thank you, Shepard! Does this mean you’ll watch it with me too?”

By episode’s end, the entire crew is wedged into corners, have draped themselves over the furniture, and sprawled across the floor until no spare bit of space remains unoccupied in the port observation deck. As the video fades to black, EDI announces a twenty-minute countdown to the relay and the crew begins to disperse and head for their armor lockers.

Tali grabs Shepard by the hand. “Thank you. I can’t think of how else I would’ve have wanted to spend this last hour.”

“None of that,” Shepard says with a grin. “We have to find out what’ll happen when Zaasa’Taenn wakes up from her coma and everyone realizes they’ve been had by her evil twin. Which means…we need to make it back for season two.”


End file.
